Ex and I divorced in Jan 2010 after 16 years of marriage. Two children - 11 and 6 years old. We handled our divorce amicably for the most part. We have joint custody. I pay her child support. Our custody arrangement does not, per our mutual agreement from the beginning, follow the "standard" custody agreement in Texas due to my odd work schedule and hours (I work a lot of weekends as well as a regular weekly schedule).
I have a live-in girlfriend and soon-to-be fiance for the last year whom my children love and get along with well. The issue is that when I work on "my" weekends with the kids, I currently take the kids to my ex before I go to work purely because my ex does not want my girlfriend to take care of them while I am at work. There are no allegations of poor care, abuse, addiction, neglect or other issues on either side. And while I realize my girlfriend is not a parent, I question whether my ex has any "right" to demand who watches the kids while they are with me during my weekends. This issue is about to come up this weekend (tomorrow) because I work Sat evening and my ex is not available to watch her own kids. I have told her that I will handle the care arrangements but I know she would rather palm her kids off on someone else (i.e. her parents) rather than let them stay here with my girlfriend.
Any advice on this issue? Are my ex's demands something that can be legally enforced? There is nothing in the decree that explicitly states whom may watch the children in the absence of one of us. I have not yet officially consulted an attorney here locally as I don't know if this is a true legal issue. Most of my informal inquiries amongst friends and professional colleagues suggests that she really can't dictate how I handle the kids care while they are with me. (Obviously not clear those opinions mean anything more than my own!)
Thanks for any advice.
I have a live-in girlfriend and soon-to-be fiance for the last year whom my children love and get along with well. The issue is that when I work on "my" weekends with the kids, I currently take the kids to my ex before I go to work purely because my ex does not want my girlfriend to take care of them while I am at work. There are no allegations of poor care, abuse, addiction, neglect or other issues on either side. And while I realize my girlfriend is not a parent, I question whether my ex has any "right" to demand who watches the kids while they are with me during my weekends. This issue is about to come up this weekend (tomorrow) because I work Sat evening and my ex is not available to watch her own kids. I have told her that I will handle the care arrangements but I know she would rather palm her kids off on someone else (i.e. her parents) rather than let them stay here with my girlfriend.
Any advice on this issue? Are my ex's demands something that can be legally enforced? There is nothing in the decree that explicitly states whom may watch the children in the absence of one of us. I have not yet officially consulted an attorney here locally as I don't know if this is a true legal issue. Most of my informal inquiries amongst friends and professional colleagues suggests that she really can't dictate how I handle the kids care while they are with me. (Obviously not clear those opinions mean anything more than my own!)
Thanks for any advice.
